With the proliferation of workout inspo (it's supposed to be different from thinspo), the mentality that exercise should lead to Gisele-level hotness is hardly waning.

Well, the younger (smarter?) generation isn't have it. A recent study of teenagers found that high schoolers are just as aware of the mental benefits of exercise as they are the physical ones. Not only that, but these wise young things believe that the results of exercise you can't see — like the development of leadership skills (through team sports), positive emotional impact (hi, endorphins), and character development — are just as beneficial as building endurance and getting a tighter ass.

"We're looking at a generation that has grown up with parents who have yo-yo'd around exercise, talked incessantly about what they should do and what they haven't been doing," says study author James Gavin, professor in Concordia University's Department of Applied Human Sciences. But kids these days, he says, see exercise as simply part of a lifestyle.

This is a smarter way of motivating for exercise, argues Petra Kolber, fitness expert and an acclaimed trainer for FitnessGlo, because mood boosts from working out are more immediate than a tighter ass.

"Right away we experience the benefits of exercise and experience 'mini wins' that are the motivation many of us need to keep going," she says. "Many times we look at the goal of losing ten pounds or getting into a size six jeans as a form of punishment. It becomes a battle with our own body. By focusing on the feel-good aspects we get to experience more energy, more focus and gain and lift our self-esteem." Focusing on immediate mood boosts turns exercise into somethign to look forward to, rather than dread. "This shift in focus leads to life-long change versus short-term change," said Kolber.

She pointed out that people stay engaged in fitness programs as long as they feel successful. And trying to lose 10 pounds in a week by getting hardcore at the gym generally doesn't make people feel that way. But if you're goal is to just go running before work so that you hate being at your job just a little bit less, you're really setting yourself up for success.

So, rather than judging yourself by the number on the scale — or the size of your pants — measure your workout success by how high you feel off those endorphins.